Hosted by the Queen, it is one of the few occasions which calls for members of the Royal family to don their most formal attire, with tiaras, jewels and Royal family orders on display. Prince Philip and Prince Charles were also in attendance.

There are over 170 foreign missions accredited to the court of St James's in London (St James's Palace is still the senior palace and official residence of the sovereign). Each year Her Majesty throws a decadent reception in their honour, and members of the Royal family in attendance make a point of meeting with each one. It will be a night of mingling for the Cambridges.

1500 guests were welcomed to the palace ballroom. At 36.6m long, 18m wide and 13.5m high, the ballroom is the largest multi-purpose room in Buckingham Palace. It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War. It is used by the Queen for state banquets, including October's dinner for President XI of China, which the Cambridges attended.

The event is a very private one and photos are usually not released from inside the reception for a variety of reasons including security and certain political sensitivities. Attendees are not confirmed in advance either, meaning we never know until the night which royals will be present. There's a rare peek into the 1992 reception available on YouTube which gives one an excellent look inside the event described as "the grandest party of the year". I particularly enjoyed seeing the Queen's pristine attention to detail and knowledge regarding the guest list, and there's a great look at the late Princess Diana in a strapless white gown.

This is the second time the Cambridges have attended the event. They made their debut in December 2013. It was quite a memorable event for several reasons: it was the first white-tie event William and Kate had attended since their wedding; it marked the beginning of a very gradual ease into more formal duties alongside the Queen; and not only was it the first time Kate had worn a tiara since the royal wedding, but we were delighted to see Her Majesty had loaned her the late Queen Mother's Papyrus tiara.

I had fully expected to see Kate wearing the Papyrus Tiara for tonight's reception, but my word did she surprise us, instead selecting the Cambridge Lovers Knot, also referred to as Queen Mary's Lovers Knot Tiara. This tiara needs no introduction, as it was the signature tiara of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

NPG

Over the past five years many of us have expressed a wish to see Kate wear the timeless piece, but it was thought it wouldn't happen for some time because it is so very much associated with Diana. As the Duchess of Cambridge, the Cambridge Lovers Knot seems a very appropriate choice. It's wonderful to see the Duchess wearing it; William gave Kate Diana's engagement ring and as the couple approach their fifth wedding anniversary it seems fitting. We'll potentially see Kate wearing the tiara throughout her royal life.

Order of Splendor

Let's take a look at the history of the tiara. The sparkler was commissioned from Garrard in 1913/1914 by Queen Mary, Queen Consort of King George V, using jewels she already had in her possession. Mary wanted to have a tiara created based on the design of her maternal godmother Princess Augusta of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge's 'Lover's Knot Tiara', whence comes the name. The original was a striking piece, and back then, lover's knot bows were very popular, so there were several similar ones made.

Regency History

The tiara features elements of the Gothic Revival style. The circle of the Cambridge Lover's Knot is made up of a lower semi-circular band, set with a row of brilliant cut diamonds. Where two adjacent arches meet, a pillar like structure is formed that rises up and ends in a round diamond, forming a diamond spike. There are nineteen diamond spikes of this nature and the size gradually decreases from the centre towards both ends.

After Mary died in 1953, the tiara passed to Queen Elizabeth II who wore it on a number of occasions in the early 1950's, but the Queen decided to put it into storage.

In 1981, the day before Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, Her Majesty gave her soon-to-be daughter-in-law a red leather box, and inside lay the tiara. According to various media outlets young Diana exclaimed, "I have Brenda's rocks", referring to a nickname the British press had given the Queen.

Following Charles and Diana's divorced in 1996 the tiara was returned to the Queen, as Diana was only able to keep personal gifts, not official ones, and as the tiara is part of the Queen's Collection it is classed as official. It had been widely believed it would remain in the vaults for years to come, but I'm very glad that is not the case. Are you surprised to see it?

Kate wore the Queen's Diamond Chandelier Earrings again tonight. They have become a favourite of hers for more formal occasions.

Kate repeated the gorgeous icy blue lace Alexander McQueen gown she wore to the Diplomatic Reception in 2013. I do hope Kate gives it a third outing as it would be fantastic to see a full-length photo. Below, a closer look at the lace detail.

It was a lovely surprise!

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Also today, Kensington Palace announced Kate will return to the Anna Freud Centre next Tuesday, 15 December for their family school Christmas party. Her Royal Highness visited the centre in September to see how the charity is working to lead change in children's mental health care. The Ralph Lauren Silk Austin Shirtdress Kate wore is currently reduced from $1595 to $959 on the Ralph Lauren website. It is understood it will be Kate's last engagement before Christmas.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Finally, the Duchess attended a board meeting for her patronage The 1851 Trust at Kensington Palace earlier today (with thanks to Cepe).

We'll see you tomorrow when William and Kate attend ICAP's annual charity day! :)

Is she not GORGEOUS I never thought that she was going to wear it so soon. Their is a good reason she has had a future King and such a beautiful Princess. Princess Diana would of loved her grandchildren. She would of loved her daughter-in-Law it would of been perfect. I think that they make such a perfect couple and he will always cherish her. She will always be a very beautiful Queen when she becomes one.

Wow, I did not expect that tiara. But it's nice that it's done now, a bit of ripping of the bandaid :P And I think was the best way to debut it for her. I mean, it's a rather "private" tiara event with few pictures. So next time she wears it it can be old news! She looks so pretty though! Really pretty! The hair is rather similar to the state banquet but it's very pretty and a good "go to" tiara hair. (you know, as one has! :P ) I like the look. Good repeats (although we still don't know how that dress looks!!) Good to see them at more of these event. A true pomp day today for them. An investiture in the day, a white tie tiara affair in the evening :P Nice that she got use of some more tiaras, I honestly didn't think she would yet. Also very nice that she's getting more comfortable in the big jewels :) They're really opening up the vaults! Oh how I wish we had a fullshot... but I'm not gonna get greedy! :P

I actually DID lol when I read "as one has"! What a great comment, Rebecca! I agree that her hair was very pretty. But I have to say I chose this tiara back in September when Charlotte let us "dress" the Duchess for a formal event, so I am feeling a wee bit smug tonight. I agree with Charlotte too: I would love to see this dress full length. It looks beautiful. What a great color with her hair and eyes.

You should indeed feel smug Marci, especially as the red dress you chose was not too far from what Kate actually wore.

I like to think there may be a wee bit of influence from this blog to the palace - the fact that Kate wore a floating blue gown to the Bond film not long after Meg's top polling submission makes me think there just might be!

As I recall, you were possibly the only one to pick that tiara - how wise you were! In Charlotte's post on tiaras though, a lot of us expressed hopes we would see the Lover's Knot on Kate - so there are a mob of happy people now - me among them.

How beautiful! I personally think she chose to wear this tiara to an event when she knew no pictures (besides arrivals) would be taken.

I do not find it offensive in the least, as some royal watchers I follow (though not for long) on Twitter are suggesting for Kate to wear this tiara - and frankly, I'm surprised at the sensitivity some people still have around this piece. I think if anyone could bring it back, it's fittingly Kate.

I think the Queen has worn that tiara since Diana's passing. I am sure that was not without some thought and some sorrow. I am glad the Queen did wear it though. I think that needed to be done for some reason. And now Kate is wearing it. I almost can't believe it.

Yes, one royal watcher I follow on Twitter had the audacity to say it was like Kate was "playing dress-up" as her late mother-in-law. Absolutely ridiculous. Of course people are allowed their opinions, but that's what the unfollow button is for! :)

Oh this is utter nonesense. Those people on Twitter don't understand. Royal jewels are meant to be passed down. That's the whole point. I would even expect Kate to wear the Girls of Great Britain someday and put her own stamp upon it - I loved it when Gabriella chose that tiara with a simple red gown. It may be fantasy for now - the queen is not likely to loan it - but it hints of a future with a very different look for that tiara than being paired with the queen's beaded gowns - and I hope when the time is right, Kate goes for it.

Sometimes,jewels are retired for a time because they don't suit the times or the present royals but there is always a chance that they may come back to life in a new generation in a new way - that's why I'm vexed when the queen or queen mum sold jewels they didn't fancy or had them remade into something far less attractive - that lovely amethyst tiara would have so suited a dark beauty like Kate as would the delicate Nizam - I'm one for holding onto things.

And they are meant to be worn and re-worn. As little as I like Camilla, and while it would certainly not have been appropriate for HER to have worn anything of Diana's (I hope that POW brooch was truly a duplicate) I don't mind at all her wearing the Queen Mum's things, even if she too often looks like a gilded lily in them. At least they are in use.

I may be foolishly sentimental, and I do like museums as much as the next person, but I feel jewels are meant to be worn, that they take feeling from the wearer and it gives them beauty and depth. So it is with great joy for me to see Kate in the Lover's Knot - rather than have it sit in some vault. It has brought that tiara back to life.

"they take feeling from the wearer and it gives them beauty and depth".

Julia, you said exactly why I didn't enjoy this appearance of Diana's tiara as much as I had hoped. With wearing the same (not so attractive gown and same not so attractive earrings) with it it was surely just sitting on her head and not being worn with excitement and the dignity it deserves. I felt sorry for that beautiful tiara.

I am older than Kate, and remember Diana wearing this tiara so well, she only really seemed to wear 2 tiaras, this one and her family one. (the 'Spencer' tiara) Hence, it was a bit of a shock for me to see Kate wearing it. It upset me a little. It was Diana's signature formal royal look. I feel it would have been preferral for Kate to select another tiara, considering the very young age at which Diana died.

It's curious that people express that they don't like Camilla. I don't know if they blame her for the failure of Charles's marriage; but 'it takes two to tango'. I am a big Diana fan, but she herself admitted 'I take half the blame for the failure of my marriage'.

It had been over twenty years since the Lover's Knot tiara had been worn. Time it reappeared and of course William's wife was the right person. I agree that Kate wisely wore it in a way that could not overshadow anything or anyone, and I actually like the way she wears tiaras. She gives them a modern look when she wears them with her sleek chignons.

Not sure if anyone is still reading here - but if. Anon 20:16 - I think Kate will bring something to the tiara in time - it's so hard to tell anything from a car snap and this is her first wearing.Anon 2:30 - I don't dislike people lightly but I have disliked Camilla from long before there was any thought of her being Charles' mistress - even before he and Diana married. My dislike of her came from a photo of her next to Diana at the races - Camilla looked completely insinuating and Diana horribly uncomfortable - it was like the poisoned apple thrown into the wedding of Peleas and Thetis. I was quite young myself then and I thought how awful it would be to be a very young girl about to be married and have this older woman friend of my husband's to whom he is said to have had a big romance, hanging around me. I put equal blame on Charles who should have told her to get lost but if Camilla was a decent person, she wouldn't need to be told. I would never dreamed of making a male friend's fiance so obviously uncomfortable.One picture can be wrong but it increasingly came out that Camilla made multiple efforts to cosy up to Diana - clearly she saw her as a young innocent she could manipulate. I don't know if the marriage would have survived without her presence but I believe it might have - it was clear from all I've read - even in books favourable to Charles that she took every opportunity to be a too willing ear to his problems and that she indulged his over-developed self-pity. Nothing I have read since has improved my opinion of Camilla - an interview I listened showed her to be a gushing flatterer, not a thoughtful companion and neither her public statements or that fawning private conversation has given me a good opinion of her qualities. She has plenty of people to whom she can do no wrong, no matter how awful and prematurely aged she looks (all those ciggies) or relatively little she does - others support her saying she makes Charles happy - as indeed any yes-woman is bound to do or as Bluhare here - on the theory she has been through enough although she has gotten exactly what she wanted - as those overdone jewels show so clearly. I must endure her and despite friends who take him at his word - I'm sure she will insist on being crowned queen - but I would never curtsey to her - or to him. Moral character has become rather dodgy these royal days - with glamour models and party girls becoming princesses - and in spite of this - I still believe in royalty - but there must be a line - and in my opinion, Camilla crossed it long since.

I don't think Kate "selected" it as in being given the keys to the vault at BP. I believe it was gifted to her by the Queen as it was to Diana.

This tiara, like the engagement ring, was worn by a woman who was going to be the next Queen. If it was not to be, I believe there is significance in it being worn by a woman who, God willing, will be.

I see the tiara as a royal nod towards Kate, AND a signal that the Firm is recognizing Diana's memory. Nothing to sneeze at IMHO. :)

Julia, In my travels through the Internet, I encountered a photo of Diana and Camilla walking side by side. This was in the early days. The expression on Diana's face and in her eyes as she half way looked up at the camera was so telling and plea full it was chilling. She was definitely trying to tell the world something through her eyes. Camilla was looking carefree and triumphant. (on second thought, maybe it is better for you that you not see that photo.) It is so revealing and so moving though that I think it should be enlarged and hung in a museum as a valuable page of history.

Thanks, RF. I wish it wasn't so, but it was. :(Thankfully, the Monarchy was improved by the unhappy situations that played out all those years ago and Diana's boys are living the life she so wanted for herself and for them (and future monarchs). Through adversity was born change.

I like how Catherine used this opportunity to debut the tiara,but I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with the repeat of the dress and earrings. Not that we saw much of the dress, but it was too similar to the last time she wore both, in my opinion. That said, she looked beautiful as always and I'm sure airing out the gown again is one way to save money--I can't fault her for that! =) I wonder when she'll wear the gown she wore in Malaysia.

I am sooo happy to see Catherine in a new-to-her tiara. It gives me hope that she might change things up a bit more than the other British royal women and that we’ll see other rarely worn tiaras from the vault.

I think it's great. She's earned her own reputation, her own "brand," she's a senior royal and yes, she's produced an heir and a spare (regardless of how you might feel about the statement/function, it is a vital monarchical benchmark). And she obviously would not wear it without the consent (possibly active encouragement) from William and, by default, the Queen herself.

As I understand it, a tiara's based is usually "wrapped" with some material (pipe cleaners!?) to blend in with the wearer's hair colour. When this doesn't happen, it can look rather odd - one of the Swedish princesses - Madeleine. I believe, wore her mother's tiara obviously on short notice and the wrong colour wrapping looked very peculiar with her hair colour.

How thrilling, how beautiful, how fitting: The Duchess of Cambridge reintroducing us to the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara - big smiles and happy clapps :)Just that it were without quibbles - sighs ... I second Labelo: please, please let us get a full view of the dress! Oh, and while we're at that: a full front view of the Duchess wearing this breathtaking tiara ... *dreamy eyes and sighs*

Wow, wasnt expecting that one at all. Good choice to wear it first at an almost private event for the media. I deserves to be worn and who better to wear it. She looks stunning, and hopefully the start of her owning it. As someone who grew up with Diana, it's marvellous to see it come full circle and it must be wonderful for William to see it being worn again.

I agree Emily Ann. That would be almost the same people who saw her wear that dress as before. If I had attended both times I would be very disappointed, though the Lover's Knot Tiara appearance would help! A lot!! I do love the design of that tiara and it's association with Diana makes it all the more dear. So surprised and delighted to see it worn by Kate tonight.

I agree! Recycling is one thing...wearing the identical dress to the exact same event only two years later is another. I find it so odd to wear the same dress to the same banquet only two years later when she must have a closet full of formal gowns!

This was definitely an unexpected wearing of this tiara, and I'm so, so glad it's out of the vaults! I agree with the others, whether intentional or not, choosing to re-debut this at a relatively low-profile affair is a great way to rip off the band-aid. Yay!

So is this something that the Queen has to "gift" (I know it's not a personal gift, it's an "official" gift so technically goes back to the Queen) and then the wearer can just decide when and where to wear it? Or can Kate just call up Gran-in-law and make a request to borrow? I'm so curious how official jewels are handled.

After the awkwardness of the "Indian Giver" need for Diana to return that tiara. I suspect there is much more caution about giving jewels as gifts - rather turning to what may be semi-permenent loans. If I recall, this happened in the Danish royal family, when a tiara given as a gift, left because of a divorce. It may return someday through the children, but it is out of the family for now. So when Mary married into the family, she was apparently given loans, rather than gifts.

With all that can happen, when jewels are distributed too freely, Albert's tiara design for Victoria going to the rather distant Lascelles, and Alexandra's daughter Victoria "disposing of" her mother's wedding tiara - I wish there was an extensive family jewel foundation that would prevent this sort of thing while making the jewellery available to all family members- otherwise the royal family could end up with a predominence of middle eastern gifts - beautiful enough (in some cases) but without much history behind them.

Oh Julia, you spoke my heart on that matter.Provenance is so important in Royal Jewelry and in Jewelry in general. I think a family Jewelry foundation is such a great Idea and essential.Kate's team.... are you listening? The Britsh Royal family is a tradition so should their Jewelry be. Posterity beckons. Royal Jewelry foundation where are you?

Thank you Thank you Charlotte. I am so very excited to see the Duchess wearing this tiara and in this setting. We got a bonus sighting of her in a new to her tiara and still the complaints. We have yet to see the dress properly. We know she repeats her clothes why are people so surprised or disappointed when she does it? Happy sighs from me, and another sighting tomorrow. My cup overflows.

FYI- Daily mail has new pictures up from a different angle that show more of the dress - it seems like it is not full sleeved and actually has a sleeve length similar to the State banquet gown. Also looks like still no RFO.

I would love to see William (with the help of Garrard's) design a pair of pearl earrings to go with the exquisite tiara and gift those to Kate. How special would that be? And they wouldn't be something of Diana's that he gives her (although I am a big fan of that), but they would be Kate's alone to go with Diana's tiara. That would make the pairing even more superb, I think. She will most likely be wearing the tiara throughout her life, so what a good investment custom earrings would be.

When you have such Iconic and beautiful tiara, not just any earrings will do. That tiara has presence and the earrings have a lot to live up to when being paired with it. If Kate has any hesitation in wearing the pearl earrings that Diana so successfully paired with it, perhaps she could even design a pair herself, although, given her gown choice for the dinner and that floral gown she wore, maybe that design would best be left to William. Not being mean, just practical.

with the shorter sleeve in view - do you think she's had the sleeves altered - always thought that the dress would be longer sleeved for some reason. It would go in some way why she's re-cycling the classic. having said that, catherine's never been shy of wearing a great dress more than once.

I agree Mr. D, I wasn't expecting short sleeves. That combined with the poof on the shoulders reminds me of a80s prom dress. I would have to see the full length pictures but from what I can see, I don't think I like it.

Is it possible that there is no poof and it just looks that way because Kate tends to slouch, especially while sitting (Thus causing the fabric to fold weirdly if it's stiff)? I say this only because she doesn't seem like the poofy short sleeve type.

Interesting information on the tiara over at the Court Jeweller, saying it's actually known among the royals as the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara:

"The tiara Garrard made for Queen Mary is a copy of the Cambridge tiara, which was eventually sold. You'll often see Queen Mary's tiara (which Diana wears) actually called the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, but they're two separate pieces. In The Queen's Diamonds, Hugh Roberts makes it clear that the family refers to the piece as Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara."

That was a tidbit I had never heard or read before, you learn something new every day! I have to say (and maybe others of my generation will chime in) it was strange to see it on Kate... not wrong, just strange.

I will also echo other sentiments that it seems very, very odd (dare I say bordering on fashion faux pas?) to wear the exact same dress. Just my opinion of course!

I'm glad you posted that note on the proper name--I was about to do the same. I know it's commonly referred to as the Cambridge Lover's Knot, but that's technically incorrect, and a bit confusing. You do such a fabulous job Charlotte with the blog, don't get me wrong! I'm just going to subtly nudge you to start using the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot name. :)

The problem is not that she recycles (I love that), the problem is that she recycles at the same event. I do not think this is apropriate, even if the diplomats change. There are still diplomats that do not change, and wearing the same dress, the same earings and maybe the same shoes (who knows?) at the same event two years later is not stylish at all. But anyway, she is very beautiful even.

Yes Emily Ann, the same event is an important distinction. I'm not sure why people think diplomats have such a revolving door, it's usually a post with longevity, at least as long as the head of state who appointed them.

I think you always have to look at it from the perspective of the audience. While Kate may see it as one of many formal events, guests at BP don't see it that way at all! I'm not saying for one moment that Kate was disrespectful, but I do think she hasn't connected the dots in this area yet.

This is a poor example, but the son of our friends married last year and now their daughter is getting married. Of course I'm going to wear something different because it's basically the same crowd, same invite list etc. Only half of the guests will be new :) I think it would offend my friend, as if I couldn't be bothered to wear something new for her daughter's wedding... again, that's a far cry from BP but just to make the point.

And blue27 I have to agree, from the tiny view we get - no goosebumps!

It was good to see the tiara on Kate, Claudia.But I don't think she pulled it's new debut off successfully. Her outfit was a hodgepodge and didn't work. I think that played into "seeing her in the tiara" seem a little strange to me also. I think, from what is shown, that the gown does look like a prom dress. It could have been so much more.I am both happy and sad at the same time about Kate's appearance. Not what I was hoping for when I was expecting to see the re-appearance of that exquisite tiara. Kate might as well have been wearing a sequined headband with that outfit, really. It would have matched the outfit. :(Not to rain on any one's parade. (sorry).Hopefully, next time will be better.

What a nice surprise tonight to see this post. Thank you Charlotte for the update and lovely post. It is so nice to see Kate in a tiara. She looks stunning from the neck up. I hope we continue to see them attend the reception in the coming years.

I am so very excited! LOVE seeing the Cambridge Lovers Knot out of the vaults and Kate donning it! I definitely wasn't expecting this wonderful surprise! I can only imagine that William loved seeing the tiara on Kate and that it brought back sweet memories of his mother. In my opinion, Kate is the perfect Royal to bring back the tiara. It seems so fitting to see her wear it.

Like others have mentioned, I would love to see the entire dress on Kate. I guess a little mystery is always fun, but.... Her hair is gorgeous and the earrings stunning! Comparing the 2013 picture next to tonight's, Kate looks more mature. She really looks beautiful.

I didn't think she would for some reason but OH SO hoping she would and SHE DID. I would do a cartwheel on that one IF I knew how. :)I wonder how she felt putting on "Diana's" tiara for the first time. I know she had her ring and earrings but I honestly thought we wouldn't see that tiara in the Cambridgr family until Charlotte wore it. I am a happy girl right now. :)

I don't like those earrings with it though, actually, I don't like those earrings. Pearls would have been so much better IMO.

And, I hope she did NOT wear the same dress to this dinner that she wore last year. Say it isn't so......

William looks a bit perturbed about something. I hope it has nothing to do with Kate. He had that same expression at this dinner last year if I remember correctly. He still looks handsome in spite of his grumpy look.

hmm I love the Cambridge lovers knot I think its a great tribute for her late mother in law im looking forward to see her full dress in the near future hmm other engagement tomorrow I know she been a fan of recycle her outfits which is good looking forward to see them tomorrow

We are blessed to have so many formal portraits of Diana and formal photos. We need some of Kate for posterity if nothing else. Thank heaven we have as many as we do of Diana. Come on Kate, please get some (good) portraits done. Don't let the first one that guy did scare you away from portraiture.

loved Diana's gown, necklace and tiara in the video. what did she have on the bodice of the gown? And what tiara was she wearing. The Queen seemed very informed for hosting such a large group. She seemed very sincere also. Imagine. The Queen knew his wife wasn't there due to family problems. The Queen knows everything............ :)

Does anyone else notice that the dress Diana is wearing in the first picture is incredibly at similar to Kate's dress? I thought that was very interesting. I was practically in shock when I saw her wearing that tiara! It looks beautiful on her as well as Diana and so fitting seeing that she is the Duchess of Cambridge.Yay for tiaras, I think she looks great in them with her hair pulled back like that. She must like that hairstyle, almost the same as at Charlotte's christening.

I noticed the similarity as well. It could be a coincidence, but Kate does seem to make a lot of thoughtful fashion choices. I would love to see Kate borrow some statement pearl earrings. I do not if Kate has access to the pair worn by Princess Diana in the photo above, but hopefully next time...

So exciting! I am sure Diana is smiling in Heaven tonight! What could make her prouder than having her son, the Duke of Cambridge, and his beautiful wife become senior royals, name a baby granddaughter after her, and honor the name of her much worn tiara by being Cambridges who are truly in love. And to have Harry and Will carrying on her devotion to charity work, to boot.

I wish I could see it like that, and I would like to very much. I was one of millions who loved Diana--she was my hero, and I didn't think she was superwoman, but a very real woman who had flaws and fought through them. I'm happy for DOC, but she needs to do more. A few charity appearances this year and one speech don't make the cut if she's going to be compared. Kate is probably a loving mother and wife, which will make Diana smile because we all know how much she loved Will, but to follow in her footsteps means a lot more engagements and speeches than Kate has done so far. Maybe 2016 will be a break-out year for her. Everyone comes into their own. S

I think I agree with you there, Anonymous, 9th December at 3:07. Diana was very hard working, and a committed patron of her charities. Kate is a different individual. Diana made a very big impact. Those of us who are old enough will never forget the shock of her death.

Did Diana make a lot of speeches? I mostly remember the one in which she resigned from most of her charities. It seems to me Diana's approach was visual. She shook hands with AIDS patients and sat with mine victims. She visited Mother Teresa. And sat alone in front of the Taj Mahal. Those were dramatic moments that did not require speeches.

Because Justyna is exactly right. Kate was establishing her own princess identity wearing the Lotus and other tiaras. This one has such a strong presence of Diana, that comparison's are inevitable. When Kate wears a piece that evokes such a remembrance, people are going to compare how little few charity events she does each year versus the hardworking Princess of Wales. Even Camilla acknowledges that she can't truly hold that title and goes by the Duchess of Cornwall even though it's her right to be called the Princess of Wales now. This was a misstep for Kate. Better to define yourself than live in someone else's shadow. And living in Diana's shadow takes an incredible person. 18 years later, she is not forgotten or loved less. S

Anon 1:41: I think the constant comparison is brought on by the Royal Family themselves. Kate has Diana's ring. Kate wore a nearly identical dress to Diana when she left the hospital after giving birth to George. Kate wore nearly identical dresses on the Australian tour, including a red dress when she departed the plane in Sydney just like Diana did. George is repeatedly dressed in Prince Williams' exact clothes. And now Kate chose to wear "Diana's" tiara to this event. I'm sure there are many other examples I can't remember off the top of my head, so I don't think the public is imagining the constant comparison; rather, William and Kate themselves are propagating it. In fact, I think it's really hard not to compare the two constantly and I have always thought it very strange it's encouraged by the Cambridges.

Personally I think the similarities you mention Anon 5.08 are done to keep the memory of Diana alive and not to pit the two women against each other. To do so is not fair to Diana's memory and to Catherine's current and future role. Probably Diana would not have wanted it to be a competition and William said so in his engagement interview. And of course we all remember the good qualities of Diana, but there were an abundance of flaws which I am sure William and Catherine do not want to repeat.

I understand what you're saying Justyna. I think it boils down to Diana being highly photogenic and being a master at her job in a way that Kate just isn't. Kate is amazing though and has strengths Diana didn't have.

Thank you for your support, Annons! I haven't suggested in my comment above that there's something wrong with Kate. But, you know, Diana was Diana. Beautiful, hard-working with a big heart and she had and still has a big impact on so many people's lifes. Also on Kate's life. It's nothing wrong to say that Kate is not yet the queen of people's hearts.

Anon 5:08 - Do you expect her to never wear polka dots? Or a red suit? We find connections because we obsess. I dare say Kate might not have seen every outfit Diana ever wore to copy or to avoid, while the daily mail will comb the archive for a story

Hi Anon 13:08. I'd have to disagree. There are so many things Will and Kate could do in memory of Diana, like organizing a sale of a few pictures or family pieces that aren't important to them with proceeds going to buy prosthetic limb pieces for children hurt by land mines. Kate could host an art camp (because she has that St. Andrew's degree) with the proceeds going to a homeless shelter or mental health clinic. They could do it every year, call it something after Diana, but Kate runs it and does things her way. That's the best, because we do it in memory, but this is their time. With Kate just wearing the tiara, it doesn't represent anything other than looking pretty and royal. Maybe that's the point, and she's being rewarded for knowing her place. I want more for Kate. I want her to have her own identity, or she really is living in the sterile fishbowl and the whole thing is just form. S

Anon 14:24 I would be the first to give someone the benefit of the doubt that every outfit is not a nod to a previous one.

However... (as royalfan would say here's comes the but!)it would seem to me that people on this blog are not the only ones obsessing... Kate seems to be doing a fair bit of obsessing herself. You could maybe call her outfit choices coincidences, but the outfits on George are very telling. They've made a very conscious effort at public events to dress him in what's actually the same piece, or one modelled after one from William's childhood.

Sometimes I do think the party planning themes are running amuck and come off as a little strange. I really didn't think much of the Kate/Diana issue until the family pictures started coming along.

While I do think the connections are very much on Kate's - and William's - mind - I see it less as obsessing and more facing a legacy boldly - which I think is right. Thr royal family is about the past as well as the present and carrying traditions and ways down is part of that - the balance of old and new is what it is about. To me, it isn't a sterile fishbowl - but then I wear my mother's jewellery proudly and think of them very much as my own.

I'm not in favour of the royal family members selling things for charity - the help they can give would be so fleeting and the loss so great - what William and Kate may not value may be loved by Charlotte and George. Far better to work through help through their charitable endeavours.

Kate will have her own jewels - she has some now and will have more in the future - and I believe her style is very much her own - but I find it special when she wears things with a family link - and don't feel at all it is supressing her own style but rather it is becomming part of it.

Too funny blue27!! I think it's a matter of opinion what people make of it, but it's definitely a matter of fact that she's studied photos of William's childhood quite closely and is duplicating certain moments.

My opinion is it can come off as a little strange and staged at times, even stylized, not natural at all. I think that's why candid photos (though W&K hate them) are so popular, because it's when they look most authentic.

Well said Julia, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I actually think that Kate deserves some respect for being prepared to show homage to her late mother-in-law in the way she does. Many daughters-in-law would not especially considering the iconic image that Diana has. I also think it is becoming synonymous with her style as you say.

I don't think Kate is obsessing; I think she is dressing George in very traditional children's clothing for occasions that will go down in history. Aside from those situations, George is dressed like a very typical little boy. And likewise for Diana when she dressed William for formal occasions. The clothing was as old fashioned or traditional back then as they are now. What would Diana have had to obsess about?

I agree with the Anons and Claudia who say that Kate is 'imitating' (can't think of a better word, sorry!) Diana a little. It's not that I or we are obsessing over photos and comparing them, anyone who is a Diana fan can spot the similarities easily. It really WAS odd that George wore the same or similar outfit that William wore for Trooping of the colour, a similar red outfit to visit his new sister for the first time, similarly posed photos of George and Charlotte to one taken of William and Harry by Snowdon, Catherine's wore similar clothes to Diana..etc. etc. Perhaps the engagement ring gave us an indication of things to come, but I accept that was William's choice.

I agree again Claudia. On one hand it is nice to follow tradition and pay respect to Diana. But if people don't want to compare the 2 women, it would be better for Kate to mark her own way, dress her children in her own style etc. On the other hand papers or KP try to sell them as normal, everyday people, which they are not. I loved the word, staged here, Charlotte'christening was a really good example. Nice talking to you!:-) Hope u r having a good time here.:-)

I think Kate looks stunning in this tiara. Since she has more hair to work with than Diana, we may see more updos with this tiara for Kate. It looks as if she has her hair "pouffed" up behind it to anchor it better. Similarly done on her wedding day with the "Halo" tiara. It looks like the dress is short-sleeved too. We may say years from now that this tiara is more associated with Kate and Charlotte (the Cambridge ladies) than with Diana. Who knows- this may be the tiara that wee Charlotte gets married in! Sigh.... I think Kate looks much more sophisticated and grown up in this year's event versus the event in 2013. And all that changed was the hair, tiara, oh and having another baby...... hmmmm.

Kate has so many evening gowns that she has only worn once and which would have been perfectly appropriate tonight. Fashion-wise this is a serious faux pas, wearing the same gown twice in a row to the same event. Even the earrings are the same. Why not where the diamond What earrings her parents had made for her for her wedding? What a sorry lack of flair and interest in such a high profile event. One can only hope that at least conversation-wise she btought her A-game.

I was so elated to see her in Diana's tiara. It was like a dream come true. And then I realized she was in the same gown (and earrings) and I was very much perplexed and dismayed that the Duchess of Cambridge, the future Queen (consort) of England a former FASHION accessory buyer AND designer wore the SAME gown (and earrings) to the SAME event. Forget that it was in 2013. That she wore the same gown to the same important event is unbelievable and so disrespectful and wrong, wrong, wrong, What would make anyone do that? What thought processes would produce that? It is reminiscent of the pink dress she wore and then wore it right away again to the Queen's garden party. But this time it was the same event. I apologize for going on and on about it but she can afford a new gown and has other different gowns also. Does anyone have a clue why she did that?

I don't think wearing the same gown is disrespectful. Not at all. To me, it suggests that Kate is a woman who is comfortable in her own skin and doesn't have to make it about her. And what better way to honor a special tiara than to keep the spotlight very much on it, rather than competing with it.

If she chose to wear the same gown to not make it about her, then why wear a tiara so closely associated with Diana for the first time ever for this event? It just seems like your point about not making it about her is contradictory with your point about honoring a special tiara.anyways she could have easily kept the attention on the tiara and also respected the people attending the event by recycling a different gown. I agree that it is odd to wear the same dress to the same event in back to back attendances. It's just basic respect for the people attending and a sign that Kate cares enough to put some thought into the event - I'm not saying she didn't, but wearing the same gown doesn't say that.

"It suggest that Kate is a woman who is comfortable in her own skin and doesn't have to make it about her." Its great if she is the kind of woman that is confident and comfortable in her own skin. She is a public figure and when she attend these important / high profile event, on some level or degree it is kind of about her. The people and the public will always criticize and judge her, on her looks, attitude, the way she dress and carry herself. People have expectations for someone of her status and they expect her not to wear the same gown to the same event. I love that she recycles her clothes but for big events like these I think its a little disrespectful. And she has a lot of other gowns and can certainly afford a new one, so I dont get it.

I liked the back of Diana's dress (in the video). The front of the dress was pretty but kind of smooshed her in the bustline a little. She was glowing and looked exceptional as she always did. Beautiful.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw her in this tiara. It looks PERFECT on her. I am so excited to have seen now two different tiaras on her in a single year. She really is making up for the time we missed seeing her when she was on maternity leave.

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but why does the tiara look larger on Diana than on Catherine? I realize it's a matter of perception but I'm just curious. Is it because we can't see the full tiara in this picture of Catherine or because Diana wore it at a different angle?

Also, I imagine it was a touching moment for her and William when she put it on. :)

i asked myself the same question; at first it was hard to believe it was the same tiara. Yes it is worn at a different angle, and it's actually buried in Kate's hairstyle. The poufiness of her hair looks like it covers the bottom half of the tiara.

I noticed that and think its due to the angle and the fact that its partially hidden. I have the same reaction to Kate's ring though. To me, it looked huge on Diana but not so much on Kate. Makes no sense whatsoever because Diana was bigger than Kate. Weird.

Diana's ring sparkled almost always. Kate's, not so much. I had questioned if that was even the same ring and have closely scrutinized it from the photos. It still doesn't look like the same ring to me, although I am certain that it must be Diana's ring.

She was certainly taller than Kate, royalfan, and I don't think we can say that Kate's bone structure is larger than Diana's. A friend of mine saw Diana's gowns too and she was surprised by the range of sizes in the exhibition. While some were tiny, others were much bigger by comparison. Her takeaway was that Diana's weight must have fluctuated quite a bit. Does the ring look as big to you on Kate as it did on Diana?

Erika, I did read some of the comments debating whether it's the same ring and I believe it is. There's a lot of meaning behind it which I think explains why Kate tends to wear it even when she's dressed casually. (Generally, Diana did not.) Does it look different on Kate? I hadn't noticed to be honest, but I did just compare some photos and perhaps Kate's fingers are *slightly* longer and the proportion may be different? My guess but I don't know if it reality or if my mind is playing tricks since the subject was brought up. :)

The first photo must have been made as the Cambridges were leaving the reception, since they are on opposite sides of the car from the other pictures. Kate looks much happier in that picture. In the others she looks as if she is quite concerned about the reception, as she did two years ago. I'm not sure if her serious look reflects trepidation, or just a serious approach to what is said to be the grandest reception of the year at Buckingham Palace. Kate surely wanted to do her part well. Judging by the smile, all must have gone well.

I love the Lover's Knot tiara on her. Evidently it has been set aside for Kate, just as the Greville tiara has been for Camilla. I don't think William looked grumpy, though of course he knows there are not supposed to be photographs at this event. I think his expression was a small smile; he may well have been pleased and thoughtful at seeing the tiara so connected to his mother worn by Kate.

Oh this is bliss - such a lovely surprise, the perfect Christmas present to us all. I'm so glad the lover's knot is back in circulation - it seems only right as Kate is the Duchess of Cambridge. I'm certain Diana would be thrilled that her daughter-in-law is now using it. And Kate is wearing it beautifully - when we really get a close look at it on her someday, we will be dazzled.

I do think this is the perfect occasion for the debut - when it can be introduced without drawing too much attention away from the reception. (Although I wish they would allow photos at least of the family - the more we can see what the royals are doing - the better I think. So many people don't understand the diplomatic role.)

I think Kate chose to wear the same dress to set off the tiara - as Royalfan suggested. I long to see the dress someday - surely we can say that without being accused of being too critical - it looks to be a lovely colour although it does look a bit like a prom dress with the short sleeves - I suspect it is much more sophisticated should we see the entire gown.

I don't mind at all if she wears the same one - why waste something new on those diplomats - and many of them may be new since 2013. I feel certain we will see the dress sooner or later.

As for the family order - it's my feeling that the issue of ivory must be resolved - and it will need to be made of something else - and may well be debuted on a royal tour as to not call attention to the royal ladies who are still wearing ivory orders. This is just my idea - but I can't imagine Kate wearing ivory after all William has said. With Kate's increased role, I do think the order may come soon.

I know what Justyna means - there was something truly luminous about Diana - she was exceptional - but Kate is beautiful and loved and I suspect she wouldn't change places with Diana in a thousand years - with all the sadness which Kate must understand better than anyone. I still remember Diana wearing that cream lace dress in the United States - it had a dropped waist and a low back and was quite lovely - a constrast to the striking blue velvet she wore in the White House. This romantic tiara goes very well with lace - and as lace is a favourite of Kate's, so there are lots of great possibilities for the future.

I don't think the queen has worn the Lover's Knot since Diana did - possibly the Vladimir which also has pearls was mistaken for it. For it to go to William's wife seems just right. I'm sure the Papyrus will continue to be worn too - but I wonder about the Cartier - it was perfect as a wedding tiara but does sit quite low to the head without a veil.

Happy birthday to Jean - I hope someone relays this to her. And thanks to those who sent such good advice to me in the last posts - I've been suffering from an infection that likes me too well - it doesn't want to leave, but this has been enormously cheering - with still more engagements to look forward to.

I think Kate looked a little apprehensive because Wiiliam might have been being just a tad difficult.Husbands are like that, yeh they are. (at times)She had the same expression in 2013, as did William. Hope the next time they will be happier and smiling.

William did look a little tense. There could be many reasons but I hope the day will come when he will smile and wave in these car photos - remembering this is all the vast public gets to see of the reception and how much many of us care - it's not just about the press or even individuals - it's the monarchy at work. For what it's worth, Charles looked a little grim too.

i was so stuned to once again see that beatufil tiara and on kate what a wonderful supprised love her hair not fond of the earings she should be wearing perals as for the dress i know it has been two years since she has worn it but i think if she wanted to recycle this dress it should have been to another event and not the same as before

Kate looks stunning. It was also lovely to see the pictures of the young Queen, wearing the tiara. It is most appropriate for Kate to wear the Queen Mary's Lovers Knot. Diana was a lovely and loving mother, and William must be thrilled to see his wife wearing something associated with her. Love the gown too. Great post Charlotte.

I must comment that to compare Kate with Diana is futile. Diana and Charles were next in line to the throne. It was expected of them to work hard. Then, after the divorce Diana worked on her own projects. William and Kate are not next in line, and may not be for a number of years. They are not expected to be front and center every week, that falls to Charles and Camilla. Also they are two very different women. It is my opinion that Kate is a more stabilized person. She had a very sound childhood, unlike Diana, who was very needy, and very young when she married into the RF.

I agree. For example, you don't wear the same gown to the Oscars. She looked beautiful as always and I love the tiara. But she could have repeated a different gown. The Jenny Packham she wore to the ARK gala dinner in 2011 would have been great.

They don't wear seatbelts because they crumple the clothes and it is probably safe enough but the queen has proved a bad example with no such excuse. I hope the day will come when William and/or Harry accept the lack of a seatbelt contributed to their mother's loss - not just the press. It is such a difficult thing to face up to, and yet so important too - I know of other people who were killed for lack of a seabelt and Diana's loss made me think much more about it - I always did wear one when in my own car but now I put them on in taxis and buses too when available.

On another subject, The What Kate Wore blog called to my attention that there appears to be a strip of diamond or diamante in Kate's dress on the lower left. It's doesn't look like a brooch or order, and at first I thought it was an optical illusion with the lace or possibly her handbag - but it can't be the latter and I'm not convinced about the former. Any thoughts?

I really didn't expect Kate to break out this tiara until she was Princess of Wales or even Queen. But if she didn't want to wait until she was Queen, now was really the best time to do it. Not only was this a good event to debut it at because of it being mostly private, I also think they perhaps did not want to debut it after Charles becomes King - then would not be the time to evoke such powerful memories of Diana imo, especially since Charles will have to do a lot to win love as a King (which personally I think is silly because imo he's already proven he would be good at it).

That all being said, while I know Kate is the Duchess of Cambridge, I wish they had saved the tiara for a future Mrs. Harry. Kate and William already got Diana's ring - this tiara is probably the other most iconic piece of jewelry associated with Diana and now nothing for Mrs. Harry alone. There's always the Spencer tiara but I doubt anyone marrying into the Windsors will ever get that.Lastly, I do find it odd they chose to break out the tiara now (vs maybe when Kate is Queen consort). William made it clear in the engagement interview that Kate should not be expected to model her royal path after Diana (and they clearly decided to ease Kate VERY slowly into royal life in order to do things polar opposite of Diana), and frankly, I don't think it helps Kate at this point to be compared to Diana given the serious disparity in royal work (I'm not criticizing Kate because yes Diana was higher ranking but still that's not how the general public thinks), yet it seems pretty clear the Cambridges are inviting the Diana comparisons at this point. I guess maybe they think honoring Diana isn't the same thing as inviting comparisons, but that would be very naive of them to not realize where the public would go with this, and their PR folk have to know better too.But overall, the tiara is obviously lovely and I like that in general, Kate seems to be moving away from the girl-next-door public persona to a more regal, royal figure. I hope next year the honoring of Diana doesn't stop with names, jewelry, and replicated clothing, and also occurs with a serious commitment to a significant number of royal duties and really speaking out for certain causes.

Well said Maggie! The Spencer tiara does not belong to the royal family and was just borrowed by Diana from her family until her brother insisted on its return to the Spencers in the 1990s, so I would never expect it to be seen again on anyone royal.

I do not see a conflict between honoring Diana, as W&K have, and living the life they are living. As a royal couple, and as husband and wife, W&K have everything Diana dreamed of and more. She would be proud of them and happy for the opportunities they have that she did not. I don't see a conflict at all; as a matter of fact, it seems that William is following Diana's ideal "roadmap" in the way he combines the reality of his destiny together with creating and enjoying a loving family environment. Diana would be thrilled, IMO.

Great post. I LOVE the portrait of Diana in the pearl-encrusted "Elvis" dress and the tiara. But I do remember reading several separate accounts at different times that the Lovers Knot tiara was very heavy - reportedly also the reason the queen herself stopped wearing it - and headache-inducing. While I LOVE that Kate recycles her clothing and find it entirely right and proper, not to mention an absolute BOUNTY PR-wise as well as making great points with QEII, who is notoriously parsimonious, I did find it strange she would recycle the same gown to such a formal event and not just a formal event but the SAME formal event she wore the gown to just two years ago. If she wanted to recycle, she's certainly got other lovely formal gowns and winter-weight gowns she could have worn that would have been appropriate. I LOVE her hair in this style for a formal event and a bit looser around her face, vs. pulled straight back as it was for the 2013 reception. Seeing those photos of Diana reminds me, a devoted fan of Diana from day 1, just how absolutely beautiful she was. Her flaws and faults are made her human and made people relate to her - and her to them - in a way not ever seen in the British royal family. I doubt we'll ever know Kate as well as we knew Diana.

This is such a gorgeous tiara. So glad she is wearing it. I do think a better match of earrings should be available to her. I see both the Queen and Diana wore a matching pair of pearl drop earrings. They seem to match the tiara exactly. The chandelier earrings bring in a different style - although they are very beautiful, they don't match the style well. If she does not want to wear pearl drop earrings, but not identical to Diana's, she should get a pair designed and made for herself. Also, was wondering, does anyone have any photos from the designer of what the dress might look like?

Thanks for the video showing Diana in her favourite oyster satin evening gown by Victor Edelstein it was my favourite too and was sold as Lot 80 in her Dresses sale - she is not wearing the matching bolero jacket in the video. I never saw this film before so really pleased to see it!On a separate note I met a friend today whose friend's son was at a lunch or dinner with Kate last week - I told my friend to get more info so if I hear anything I will update!!!

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